America's clarification on the gift given to PAK: said - it is selling spare parts of F-16 fighter jet, not helping
America's clarification on the gift given to PAK: American diplomat said - it is selling spare parts of F-16 fighter jet, not helping
![America's clarification on the gift given to PAK: said - it is selling spare parts of F-16 fighter jet, not helping](https://www.sangritoday.com/uploads/images/2022/09/image_750x_631b7167bb303.jpg)
The US has approved a grant of $ 450 million or 3,581 million to Pakistan for the maintenance of the F-16 fighter jet. A US diplomat told in an interview that it is the sale of spare parts for the existing F-16 fleet with Pakistan, not the US government's assistance to them.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu said that it is America's worldwide policy that when it gives defence equipment to a country, it also provides the rest of the support for its maintenance till the end. We are talking about servicing the wings and equipment of a fighter jet. So it's a sale, not a help.
He told that the fleet of F-16 fighter jets present in Pakistan has very old aircraft. Some of these aircraft are more than 40 years old and will deteriorate without maintenance. This could put them at risk for pilots and others.
Donald Lu said that no new weapon systems will be given to Pakistan during this period. He said- We have heard many concerns of the Government of India. To be clear, this is a security and maintenance program. No new aircraft and weapon systems are being considered.
In 2018, Donald Trump banned the $2 billion in financial aid to Pakistan. He had taken this step by saying that Pakistan is failing in cracking down on terrorist organizations Taliban and Haqqani Network.
Now current President Joe Biden has reversed this. According to the US State Department, Islamabad will get a lot of help in dealing with the threats related to terrorism in the present and future also. "The proposed notification to Congress states that there is information on foreign military sales," a foreign ministry spokesperson said. This will allow the continuation of the F-16 program of the Pakistan Air Force. It is an important anti-terror ally.